The Malden High School Girls’ Basketball team has officially wrapped up another eventful season, leaving a new pathway of determination, growth, and progress for the team.
Under the leadership of senior captains Kimberly Tropnas, Ina Tolete, and Amanda Ebenezer, the team navigated how to overcome their struggles in order to prove their strengths on the court.
One of their most significant highlights of the season was qualifying for the MIAA State Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. This proves the team’s dedication and progress over the years.
Another season highlight was Malden securing a memorably flawless win over Lynn Classical. Defeating Lowell showcased their team chemistry because they were a top-25 ranked team and still managed to take the win. Even with their tougher moments and ultimate defeat in later games, the team showcased resilience and still managed to play well against Burlington.
Some players who ended the season with a bang were Tolete, Ebenezer, and sophomore Manicha Exilhomme. Coach Marino explained that “this season, [Ebenezer]was named Most Valuable Player by the other Greater Boston League (GBL) coaches.” Tolete and Exilhomme were also both recognized as GBL All-Star players.
While the team has made significant progress this season, Coach Marino emphasized that next year’s goals will “start with improving player confidence, playing with an immediate sense of urgency, and enhancing overall skill development with an extreme focus on rebounding and scoring.” He plans to achieve this by shifting to offseason training of individual skills to prepare for the next year.
Juniors and future captains Olivia Rodrigues and Madison Cook have both understood where some areas of improvement were needed. Rodrigues shared that she can, “take this experience” of this year “and use it to reflect on” her leadership for next year.
The future of Malden Girls’ Basketball looks promising with a much larger team consisting of players coming up from the middle schools This will mark the highest participation in decades with over 100 female basketball players playing for Malden Public Schools.
As the team turns the page, they have already named three captains for the 2025 season: Cook, Rodrigues, and Manicha Exilhomme.
By establishing strong leadership, the Malden Girls’ Basketball Team is set to win the GBL title, qualify for the state championship, and advance further in the tournament next year. The girls already have a promising foundation laid out.
